Ignition system



C. F. KETTEHING.

Patented Deu. 27, 192i.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. KETTEBIN'G. OIF-DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 THE DAYTON ENGINEER- DTG LABORATORIES COMPANY, A. CORIORATIONDF OHIO.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

Application led December 15, 1917.

To (LZZ 'whom it may concern Be it known that I CHARLES F, Karren- ING, a. citizen of the United States of America, residing at Dayton, iii the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in high-speed ignition systems for internat combustion engines, and has for its obJect the provision of improvements in the high-speed ignition apparatus generally, and particularly of the kind covered by my Patent No. 1,272,056, issued July 9, 1918.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

Fifrure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the distributer unit embodying the present invention, certain of the operative parts being shown in elevation to show more clearly the relative arrangement of certain of the parts;

Fig. 2 is a view on an enlarged scale of the engine driven member E, and coperating parts shown centrally located in Fig. 1. That part of Fig. 2 to the left of the heavy line shows the parts in elevation, while the part to the right of the heavy line shows a longitudinal sectional view of the member E and copei'ating parts; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top view of the distributer shown in Fig. 1, the top cover plate being removed to show the timer. Accompanying Fig. 3 is a. wiring diagram showing the primary and secondary circuits and diagrammatic plan vieu-'s of the distributers.

Referring to the drawing, tlie distributor unit forming a part of the ignition system embodied in the present invention, consists chieflyof a suitably formed hollow casing A., supporting at opposite sides distributers B and C, at the top of the timer D, and a centrally disposed engine driven member E.

The member E consists of sections 10, 11 and 12. operatively connected in a manner to be described, the intermediate section 11 being supported in ball bearing 13, carried by the lower end of casing A. Upper end Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Deo. 27, 1921.

serial No. 207,220.

section 12 is supported in ball bearing 14, located in the bottoni 15 of timer casing 16, which casing is nested in an annular recess formed in the top casing A.

The lower end section 10 of member E is shown broken away in Fig. 2, but in fact one end of section 10 is arranged to be connected to some moving part of the engine, not shown, for instance to the engine crank shaft by suitable gearing, and in a manner readily understood by those skilled in the art. From the upper end 17 of sect-ion 10 extends a longitudinal groove 18. The grooved end of section 10 extends loosely into thc lower end of hollow section 11, in which is formed the curved slot 19. A.' grooved sleeve 20 is slidably mounted upon section 11, and a pin extends (liametrically across sleeve 20, passing through slots 18 and 19. It will be seen that pin 21 serves as a connection between parts 10, 11 and 20, whereby said parts may rotate together. Any sliding movement of collar 2O will cause relative rotary movement between sections 10 and 11. The sliding movement of'collar 20 is effected by means of a yoke lever 22, pivoted at 23 upon the frame A. The arm of lever 22, opposite sleeve 20, extends to some point outside the frame where it is corinected in the well known manner to an operating lever located at the steering wheel. A stop 70, secured to the casing A, limits the movement of lever 22. i

The lower end of section 12, which is bored out a certain distance, telescopes within section 11, and is formed with a. curved slot 24 in alinement with a straight slot. 25, formed near the upper end of section 11. Pin 26, passing through slots 24 and 25, serves to connect sections 11 and 12, and it. will be seen that any movement of piii 26, axially of member E, will produce relativo rotation of sections 11 and 12. The aforesaid movement of pin 26 is effected by means of links 2T, pivoted at their lower ends to weighted ring 28, which is pivoted upon pin 29, passing through section 11, said links 27 being connected at their upper ends, each to the opposite ends of pin 26. The mass of 'weighted ring 28 is so distributed that as the speed of rotation of member E increases, said ring will tend to assume an approximately horizontal position, causing links 27 and pin 26 to move upwardly. As the speed of member E falls ofi', gravity will cause ring Q8 to recede Jfrom the horizontal, and consequently pin 26 will be drawn downwardly.

Section 12 carries spiral gear 30, and at its upper end, timer cam 31, made of insulating material and adj ustably held in position on section l2 by means of nut 32. Cam 31 is provided with three lobes, located 120 degrees apart, which are adapted alternately to Contact with contact arms 33 and 34, pivotally mounted upon but insulated from timer casing 16, Arms 33 and 34 carry contacts 35 and 36, respectively, which Contact respectively with stationary contacts 37 and 38, which are mounted on blocks 39 and 40 respectively. Springs 41 and 42 serve to urge arms 33 and 34 toward blocks A39 and 40 and thereby to maintain in contact` the contacts 35, 37 and 36, 38 respectively. Springs 41 and 42 serve also as electrical connections between arms 33 and 34, and the binding posts 43 and 44 respec- Y tively.

By reference to Fig. 3, showing diagrammatically the use of this invention in connection with a 12-cylinder four cycle engine of the Packard type, a well known make of motor car, will be seen a source of current 45 having electrical connections 47 and 48, with blocks 39 and 40, respectively, and connections with )rimury windings 49 and 50 of separate induction coils. (lonductors 51 and 52 connect primary coils 49 and 50 with binding posts 43 and 44 respectively,

Thus are provided two separate primary circuits through the timer device D, each circuit having cooperating contacts which are opened and closed by a common operating cam 31. The shaft E revolves at engine speed, and during the engine cycle of two revolutions, it will be seen that each primary circuit will be broken six times, and that there will be twelve breaks during eac-h engine cycle, the bre-aks occuring alternately in the two circuits. Consequently sparking im ulses will be induced in the secondary in uction coil windings 53 and 54 alternately, and will pass alternately to center contacts 55 and 56 of distributers B and C respectively.

The distributors are of a well known construction, distributer B consisting of a rotating distributing arm 57, receiving current from center Contact 55, and distributing it in recurrent sequence to stationary contacts 59, 60, 61, 62, 63 and 64, and distributor C consisting of distributer arm 5S. receiving current from center contact 56 and distributing it in like manner, to stationary contacts 59', 60', 61', 62', 63 and 64. The stationary contacts are connected to spark plugs of the proper cylinders, where, when a contact is made in one of the distributers, and a sparkingimpulse created in the secondary circuit by a break in the primary circuit, this impulse will pass to the spark plug, and produce a spark across the plug points. The secondary coils are Grounded on the frame, and thus the secondary circuits are completed. The stationary contact-s of the tivo distributers are arranged in staggered relation as shown in the wiring diagram in Fig. 3, while the arms 57 and 5S are arranged to rotate in alineinent; thus the arms function alternatelyy in recurrent sequence and in unison with the breaking of the primary circuits, by cam 31 contacting with arms 33 and 34, respectively.

Since cam 31 rotates at engine speed to make twelve circuit breaks per engine cycle, and the two distributers together must distribute sparking impulses to twelve different spark plugs per engine cycle, the distributer arms should rotate at one-half e11- gine speed in the particular embodiment shown. l

As means for rotating the arms 57 and 58, there is provided a shaft upon the opposite ends of which said arms are secured by set screws 66. Upon shaft 65 and in mesh with s iral gear 30 is a spiral gear 67, the gearin eing so designed that the speed ratio lof siaft 65 and the engine driven member E is 1 :2. Shaft 65 is supported by ball bearings 68 and 69, carried by casing A.

From the oregoinfr description, it will be noted that there has een provided an ignition system for a high speed multi-cylinder combustion engine employing a plurality of primary and a plurality of secondary circuits, an engine driven timing device and distributors so arranged that sparking impulses will be created and distributed alternately to ignite the charges in the various cylinders, one induction system being at rest and recuperating, while the other system is at work; and that there has been provided in combination with said system manually operable means and automatic means, each capable of adjusting the time relation ofthe cycle of operations of the timer and distributors to the engine cycle concurrently, and V each of said means capable of making adjustments independently of the other, but capable of effecting a joint control of the timer and distributer.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described constitutes a preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

WhatI claim is as follows:

1. In an ignition system for internal-combustion engines, the combination with a timing device and an engine driven member for operati-ng the same; of a distributingv device including a movable element; a shaft carrying the movable element; gearing between the engine driven member and the shaft; and manually operable means and automatic means each for simultaneously adjusting the operation of the timing and distributing devices with respect to the engine and each of thesaid means being capable Vof makin adjustments independently of the other, ut effecting a joint control of the timing and distributing devices.

2. In an ignition system for vinternalcombustion engines, the combination with primary and secondary circuits, a. timing device including cooperating contacts in said primary circuits, distributing devicesin the secondary circuits including distributer operating members, an engine driven shaft member having provisions for opening and closing the contacts in the primary circuit; of a second shaft transverse to the first mentioned shaft, carrying the said distributei operating members; gearing vfor imparting motion from the first shaft to the second shaft; and manually operable means and automatic means operably connected with the first shaft, each for simultaneously adjusting the operation of the timing and distributinv devices with respectto the engine, and eac of the said means bein" capable of making adjustments indepenc ently of thel other but effecting a joint control of the timing and distributing devices.

3. In an ignition system for internal-combustion engines, the combination with primary and secondary circuits; of 'timing means for breaking and making the primary circuits including coperating contacts and a cam cooperating therewith; distributing devices positioned on op osite sides of the timing means, each inc uding stationary contacts and a rotor; an engine driven shaft cari' ing the said cam and a driving gear; a sha t carrying the distributer rotors and a driven gear meshing with the driving gear; and manually o erable means and automatic means operab y connected with the engine driven shaft, each for simultaneouslj.r adjusting the operation of the timing and distributing devices with respect to the engine, and each of said means beingr capable of making adjustments independently of the other but effecting a joint control of the timing and distributing devices, the control of the distributing devices taking place through the aforesaid gears.

4. In an ignition system for intcrnalcombustion engines` the combination with a timing device including coperating contacts in a primary circuit, and a cainl member; of a distributing device including a rotor and stationary contacts in'a secondary circuit; an engine driven member comprising cooperating sha-ft sections, one of the sections carrying aforesaid cam and a drixr`r in gear; a second shaft carrying the dis triuter rotor and driven gear meshing with the driving gear; and manually operable means and automatic means operably connected with certain of the coperating shaft sections of the engine driven member, each means for simultaneously ad'usting the operation of the timing and istributing devices ivith respect to the engine, and each of said means bein'r capable of making adjustments independently of the other but effecting a joint control of the timing and distributing devices.

5, In an ignition system for combustion engines, the combination with an engine having a plurality of cylinders; of an ignition system including a plurality of primary and secondary circuits; make and break devices for said primary circuit; a plurality of distributing devices for said secondary circuits; an engine driven shaft hav` ing provisions for actuating the make and break devices; a drive shaft actuated by said engine driven shaft to effectively operate the distributing devices alternately, whereby the secondary circuits will be selected in a recurrent sequence; and means associated with said engine driven shaft for making angular adjustments of said drive shaft relatively to said engine driven shaft.

6. In an ignition system for combustion engines, the combination with an engine having a pluralit of cylinders; of an ignition system inc uding a plurality of primary and secondary circuits; make and break devices for said primary circuits; a plurality of distributing devices for said secondary circuits; an engine driven shaft having provisions for actuating the make and break devices; a drive shaft actuated by said engine driven shaft to effectively oper` ate the distributing devices alternately, whereby the secondary circuits will be selected in a. recurrent sequence; and automatic means associated with said envine driven shaft for making angular adjustments of said drive shaft relatively to said engine driven shaft. y

i. In an ignition system for combustion engines, the combination with an engine having a plurality of cylinders; of. an ignition system including a plurality-of primary and secondary circuits; make and break devices for said primarycircuits; a plurality of distributing devices for said secondary circuits; an engine driven shaft having provisions for actuatino the make and break devices; a second di'iven shaft actuated by said engine driven shaft to effectively operate the distributing devices alternately, whereby the secondary circuits will be selected in a recurrent sequence; and manual means and-automatic means associated with said engine driven shaft for making angular adjustments of said drive shaft relatively to said engine driven shaft.

8. In an ignition system for combustion engines, the combination with an engine a plurality of cylinders; of an igsystem therefor, including spark timing and distributing devices; an engine driven member having driving connection with the timing and distributing devices, and having provisions for driving the timing devices at one speed ratio and the distributing devices at a different speed ratio, relative to the speed of the engine driven member; and manual means an(- automatic speed responsive means associated with said engine driven member for advancing or retarding the ignition timing and distributing means.

9. In an ignition system for combustion engines, the combination with a plurality of primary and secondary circuits; a timing device for said primary circuits; a distributing device for said secondary circuits; means for driving the timing device and distributing device at different speeds; and automatic means for advancin or retarding the ignition timing and distri uting means.

10. In an ignition system for combustion engines, the combination with a plurality of primary and secondary circuits; a timing device for said primary circuit; a distributing device for said secondary circuits; means for driving the timing device and distributing device at different speeds; and manual means and automatic speed responsive means for advancing or retarding the ignition timing and distributing means.

11. In an ignition system for combustion engines, the combination with a plurality of primary and secondary circuits; a timing device for said primary circuits; a distributting device for said secondary circuits; means for driving the timing device and distributing device at diil'erent speeds; and automatic speed responsive means for advancing or retarding the ignition timing and distributing means.

12. In an ignition system, the combination with primary and secondary circuits, including terminals and spark plugs; of timing means for breaking and makin the primary circuitincluding an engine riven shaft; a plurality of distributing devices positioned on the opposite sides of the timing means, said devices including a common operating shaft connected with said engine driven shaft; and automatic means associated with said engine driven shaft for advancing and retarding the timing and distributin means.

13. In an ignition system, the com ination with primary and secondary circuits, including terminals and spark plugs; of timing means for breaking and making the primary circuit, including an engine driven shaft; a plurality of distributing devices positioned having intron on the opposite sides of the timing means, said devices including a common operating shaft connected with said engine driven shaft; and manual means and automatic speed responsive means associated with said engine driven shaft for advancing and retarding the timing .and distributing means.

14. In an ignition system, the combination with primar and secondary circuits, including termina s and spark plugs; of timing means for breaking and making the primary circuit; including an engine driven shaft; a plurality of distributing devices positioned on theopposite sides of the timing means, said devices includin a common operating shaft connected wit said engine driven shaft; and automatic speed responsive means associated with said engine driven shaft for advancing and retarding the timing and distributing means.

15. In an ignition system, the combination with an engine; of an ignition timing and distributing device including an engine driven shaft for controlling the timing of the ignition, ashaft arranged at an angie to said engine driven shaft, gearing between said shafts, and automatic means on said first shaft for making angular adjustments of said second shaft.

16. In an ignition system, the combination with an engine; of an i ition timing and distributing device inc udingr an engine driven shaft for controlling the timing of the ignition, a shaft arranged at an angle to said engine driven shaft, gearing between said shafts, and manual means and automatic means on said first shaft for making angular adjustments of said second shaft.

17. In an ignition system for internalcombuston engines, the combination with a timing device and an engine driven member for operatin the same; of a distributing device inclu in a movable element, said timing and distrlbuting devices being located in separate stationary housings; a shaft carrying the movable element; gearing betiveen the engine driven member and the shaft; and manually operable means and automatic means each for simultaneously adjusting the operation of the timing and distributin devices with respect to the engine, an each of the said means being capable of making adjustments independently of the other, but e'ecting a joint control of the timing and distributing devices.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES F. KETTERING.

J. W. McDoNALn. 

